Track for vehicles



c. oQsu-mmow ETAL 2,449,421

Sept. 14, 1948.

TRACK FOR VEHICLES Filed July 30, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mJ [haze/es 0*5/51272720215 jab Sept. 14, 1948- c. o. SLEMMONS ETAL TRACK FOR VEHICLES I Filed July 30, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nL/Fn/bas' Chan/Es U'5/emm0ns 1.5045}: I'Z'fi J i if! Patented Sept. 14, 1948 TRACK FOR VEHICLES Charles 0. Slemmons, Akron, and Robert W. Smith. Copley, Ohio. assignors to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application'July 30; 1945, Serial No. 607,690 3 Claims. (Cl. 305-40) 1 This invention relates to tracks for self-laying track type vehicles and is especially useful in the construction of tracks for agricultural tractors, although features of the invention are applicable iii are formed to lie in contact with the bars l5 across the space between the bands in and H, but have offset end portions l8 which are spaced from the bars it between the downwardly turned ends ii of the bars l6 and the portions of the bars between the bands thereof, providing a space for receiving the tension members which are spaced from the bars I! and i8 by resilient rubber-like material which completely surrounds the to tracks for other vehicles. 5 tension members.

The principal objects of the invention are to For providing positive driving of the track, a provide ositive driving and smooth guiding of wear plate 20 preferably of L-shape is fixed to the track. to provide quiet operation, to provide the bars l5, l8 between the bands l0 and II and high flexibility, and to provide simplicity of 0011- is secured thereto by fastener elements such as struction. l0 rivets-2i extending through the bars. The wear These and other objects will appear from the. plates 20 are engaged by the teeth of a drivfollowing description and the accompanying ing sprocket 22 of the vehicle for positive drivdrawings. ing of the track.

Of the drawings: To provide quiet operation, the bands l0 and Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tractor drive with ii are formed with longitudinal rails in the form a track made in accordance with and embodying of continuonus ribs 25, 28 on the inner face of the invention, parts being broken away; the track for smooth rolling engagement with Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the track grooved pulleys or guide wheels 21, 28 respecas seen from the inner side of the track; tively, the ribs being of greater depth than the Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the track taken on grooves of the guide wheels and being of less line 33 of Fig. 2, with a drive sprocket and guide width than the grooves of the guide wheels so wheels shown in dot and dash lines; as to contact positively with the guide wheels at Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of the bottom of their grooves and cushion the load 2; I of the vehicle by providing continuous cushion Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of thetraek 25 rails for supporting the guide wheels. as seen from the tread face thereof; Referring to Fig. 1, guide wheels ill, 28 are 6 is across-sectional view of a modified mounted for free rotational movement on a fixed construction; and axle 29 and in laterally spaced-apart relation so Fig. '7 isa sectional view thereof taken on line as to engage the ribs 25 and 26. Similar pairs 1-1 of Fig. 6. 30. of guide wheels 30, 3|, 32, are similarly spaced e i g to t e drawings, t numerals I", II on their shafts for engaging over the rails 25, designate ate y Sp cedp t bands p 28 of the track, thereby providing continuous ably of soft vulcanized rubber or other rubbersupport at intervals throughout the ground enlike material. The band in is provided with longaging reach of the track! Due to the continugifiudinally tendi tens members l p 5 ous nature of the guiding rails and their resilierably of d or wi c d the numeral ent structure the track is guided about the wheels designates similar reinforcing elements of the with a mi f noise and a high degree of band Reinforcing elements and a cushioning, while positive driving of the track preferably bonded to the rubber-like material of is accomplished entirely by the sprocket wheels ggi z ig z gg g y g g ifi i gfig 222 3;; 40 22 which engage the wear elements 20 mounted on the cross bars. This construction permits use 23352:: 5: 3 protected from or of metal guide wheels, The depth of the resilient For supporting the bands properly spaced rails is such that in use any spreading'of the rails apart relation and for providing for positively e to loading Wm aid in fitting the grooves of driving the track, laterally extending cross bars the Wheels wlthwt scuflh'lg f the rubhen l5, iii are embedded in the rubber-like material The tenslhh elements and may comprise of the bands at spaced-apart regular intervals successive convolutions of a single cable 44, or along the track. The bars l5 have ends i'l bent each convolution may be a separate endless gromtoward the tread face of the track and the bars met. The bars l5, it are secured to the tension members entirely by the resilient rubber therebetween, the intervening rubber providing for absorption of shock and reduction of vibration caused by the sprocket contacting the cross bars.

The track may be formed on its tread face with 3 lugs 33, or other projections to increase the grip of the track with the ground.

Referring to the modification shown in Figs. 6 I

vals along the track. Between the 'bands the bars 42 are formed with portions 43 of U- shaped cross section-for en agement with the drive sprockets. Tension elements 44 of cable or cord are arranged to extend through the band 40 in spaced-apart relation and similar tension elements 45 are arranged in spaced-apart relation to extend longitudinally of the 'band 41'. The ends of the cross bars 42 extend over the tension elements 44, 45 in spaced-apart relation thereto and are entirely embedded in the rubber-like material, the cross bars having turned down end portions 48 beyond the tension members but spaced therefrom and entirely enclosed by the rubber-like material. In this form of the invention the flexible bands 40, 4| of rubber-like material are formed respectively with continuous up-standing rails 41, 48 for guiding engagement with the guide wheels of the vehicle in the same manner as in the form of the invention previously described.

These and other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A track for a self-laying track type vehicle, said track comprising laterally spaced-apart flexible bands of rubber-like material, longitudinal flexible tension members embedded in each band. and'cross-bars extending laterally between the bands at longitudinally spaced intervals providing sprocket-engaging portions intermediate said bands. said cross-bars each comprising a strip of metal having plain-faced portions extending across the tension members of the bands between said tension members and the peripherally inner face of the track and having portions in the region of its ends bent outwardly beyond the tension members toward the tread face of the track and terminating in free ends within the rubber-like material of the bands.

2. A track for a self-laying track type vehicle,

said track comprising laterally spaced-apart flexible bands of rubber-like material, longitudinal flexible tension members embedded in each band, and cross-bars extending laterally between the bands at longitudinally spaced intervals, said cross-bars each comprising a strip of metal having plain faced portions extending across the tension members of the bands between said tension members and the peripherally inner face of the .track and having portions in the region of its ends bent outwardly beyond the tension members toward the tread face of the track and terminating in free ends within the rubber-like material of the bands, portions of said cross-bars between the bands being of U-shaped cross section for engagement with a drive sprocket.

3. A track for a self-laying track type vehicle, said track comprising laterally spaced-apart flexible bands of rubber-like material, each band having a layer of substantially inexten-sible tension members extending longitudinally thereof, the bands each comprising a ground-engaging tread portion and a narrower continuous rail porin the region of its ends bent outwardly beyond the tension members toward the tread face of the track and terminating in free ends within the I rubber-like material of the bands.

CHARLES O. SLEMMONS. ROBERT W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,400,100 Reddaway Dec. 13, 1921 2,107,490 Mayne Feb. 8, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 134,190 Great Britain Nov. 13, 1919 

